On Thursday, December 18, President Donald Trump signed the “2026 National Defense Authorization Act” (NDAA), officially authorizing a total of $901 billion for military and national security projects. The White House stated that this annual bill will advance the President’s national security strategy of “peace through strength,” strengthening U.S. homeland defense and the defense industry base.
The over 3000-page bill was a compromise between the initial House proposal of $893 billion and the Senate’s proposal of $925 billion. The bill itself is responsible for establishing military projects and policy authorizations, with actual appropriations still requiring further funding legislation to be passed.
The bill covers weapon development, procurement, and military sustainment. It includes support for the “Golden Dome” missile defense program promoted by the Trump administration, continued development of the Air Force’s next-generation stealth fighter F-47, as well as construction projects for various weapons systems, land and sea platforms, and shipbuilding projects. The bill also sets recruitment and force levels for each branch of the military for the fiscal year 2026.
In a policy statement released on the 9th, the White House pointed out that the new NDAA incorporates over ten of Trump’s executive orders and actions into law, including the “SAFER SKIES Act” addressing threats from unmanned drones, authorizing the military and related agencies to counter hostile unmanned drones when public safety is threatened, and expanding anti-drone authority.
The bill also includes policies aimed at improving the quality of life for military personnel, such as a 3.8% pay raise, childcare support, and other measures.
In recent years, the NDAA has often been involved in multiple controversial issues within the U.S. military, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, and regulations related to gender identity and sexual orientation. This year’s version includes provisions that limit DEI programs in the military and prohibits male students attending military academies from participating in designated women’s sports competitions.
The White House stated that the bill “will ensure the Department of War executes President Trump’s ‘peace through strength’ agenda, protects homeland security, strengthens the defense industrial base, and eliminates wasteful and radical projects that undermine the combat spirit of the U.S. military.”
Adam Smith, the Democratic Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized that during negotiations, Democrats successfully removed several radical additional provisions targeting LGBTQ+ communities and DEI measures. He expressed on the social media platform X that this was one of the reasons why he supported the final version of the bill.
The bill mandates that the Pentagon must not reduce troops stationed in Europe below 76,000 or withdraw from existing bases in Europe without consulting European allies and proving that it is in the U.S. national security interests.
Another provision requires the Secretary of War to submit unedited raw footage of recent U.S. military actions against drug trafficking ships in the waters around Latin America to Congress, or face restrictions on travel budgets. This move comes as Congress intensifies its scrutiny of a U.S. military operation in the Caribbean on September 2, which destroyed a ship and killed survivors in subsequent airstrikes.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth promised this week to provide complete video footage of the September 2 airstrikes to some members of Congress.
In addition, the Senate passed the “Rotorcraft Operational Transparency and Oversight Reform Act” (ROTOR Act) proposed by Senator Ted Cruz this week. The act requires military aircraft flying in the Washington, D.C. airspace to continuously transmit location signals, with only a few exceptions permitted.
This reform stems from a fatal accident that occurred over the Potomac River in January, where a military helicopter collided with a civilian airliner due to the failure to transmit location signals, resulting in the deaths of all 67 people on board.
The bill has swiftly passed the Senate but still requires approval from the House and signature from President Trump to replace the current NDAA exemptions regarding military aircraft location.
※The original article “Trump Signs $901 Billion Defense Bill Into Law” was published in the English edition of “Epoch Times.”